Multi-storey building framework



Feb. 28, 1967 K. E. SCOTT 3,305,939

MULTI-STOREY BUILDING FRAMEWORK Filed Feb. 18, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR:

/ .E, S'cott VATTQTLNEUS Feb. 28, 1967 5 SCOTT -STOREY BUILDINGFRAMEWORK MULTI 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb.. 18, 1964 INVENTQIZ;

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United States Patent 3,305,989 MULTLSTOREY BUILDING FRAMEWORK KennethEli Scott, Ludlow, England, assignor to Geoffrey Benjamin Hern,Leominster, England Filed'Feb. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 345,690 Claimspriority, application Great Britain, Feb. 19, 1963,

6,547 63 11 Claims. (Cl. 52-295) This invention is concerned with novelconstructions of frameworks for multi-storey buildings and with thefabrication thereof from improved kinds of structural members.

According to the invention in its broadest aspect, in a multi-storeybuilding framework each storey or tier is built-up by vertical pillar orcolumn units disposed around the periphery and horizontal cross-memberswhich extend between adjacent said peripheral pillar or column units andrest upon the top thereof in superimposed relationship, saidcross-members of each lower storey or tier supporting in turn the pillaror column units of the next higher storey or tier which are in verticalalignmentwith the pillar or column units of the lower storey or tier.

, In carrying out the invention, preferably a set of aligned pillar orcolumn units are positioned at each corner, and the framework elementsare assembled so as together to make up aseries of complete rectanglesextending throughout the structure in both vertical and horizontalplanes. v g

It has been found that particular advantage may be obtained infabricating the above forms-of framework construction by employingcomposite structural frame members which comprise -a continuouscorrugated web part of castellated, turreted or step-like form inlongitudinal cross-section, connecting spaced-apart, parallel,longitudinal reinforcingichord members. Examples of such compositestructural frame members which may serve for use as the horizontalcross-members in particular are disclosed in the specification of myco-pending limb comprising a continuous web part connecting a pair ofspaced-apart vertical chord members, the web part being corrugated alongits length so as to have a castellated or turreted form in longitudinalcross-section with longitudinal side wall portions disposed alternatelyin parallel spaced-apart vertical planes and connected by intermediatetransverse wall portions.

By way of example of the manner in which the invention may be carriedout, various views of the fabrication of a framework for a two-storeyhouse, and structural members therefore, are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In said drawings,

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view showing one corner of thestructure;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the complete basic framework unitsuitable for a pair of semi'detached two-storey houses;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the complete basic framework unitsuitable for a single detached two storey house; and

FIGURES 4 and 5 are perspective fragmentary views showing alternativeforms of peripheral pillar or column were Patented Feb. 28, 1967 iceunits for use intermediate the corners where intermediate walls arerequired.

Referring firstly to FIGURE 1, it is seen that the. buildup of thebuilding framework is effected by a plurality of pillar or column unitsa at the cornerswhich provide the elevation and which, inthis.instance,. are composed of two continuous corrugated metal webparts 2,.2', connecting-pairs of spaced-apart vertical metal chordmembers 3, 3', forming two limbs 4, 4,extending in mutally perpendicularvertical planes and arranged with the. chord members 3' in anedge-to-edge, welded-togetherrelationship to give a generally L-shapedcross-sectional form. In addition, horizontal fiat L-shaped bearerplates 5 are welded across top and bottom ends of each pillar or columnunita. H J

, The web parts 2, 2, of the units a are corrugated transversely so asto provide, in longitudinal cross-section, a castellatedor turreted formwith longitudinal side wall portions 7 disposed alternately in parallelspaced-apart vertical planes and connected by perpendicular intermediatetransverse wall portions 8, andpreferably, as shown, the width of eachweb p-art, defined by the distance be tween successive side wallportions 7, is less than thedistanoe between the pairs of interconnectedchord members 3, 3', and is also less than the length of eachcorrugation, defined by the distance between each pair of successivetransverse wall portions'S.

Furthermore, in the preferred construction illustrated, the transversewall portions 8 of the web parts 2, 2, are recessed or cut-away alongtheir free edges to provide notches within which are fitted the verticalchord members 3, 3 so that the latter, which are conveniently in theform of metal channel-section elements welded to the web parts;areembraced by marginal parts of the side wall portions 7.

In the assembled structure, each pillar or column unit of the lowermoststorey is secured at its lower end by upstanding hold-down bolts 0embedded in a concrete floor or footing d as shown, these bolts c beingengaged in apertures 10 of the adjacent bearer plate 5.

Superimposed on the upper end of the lowermost pillar or column unit-11, so as to rest thereon, are the ends of two horizontal perimetercross-members e, e, which form the mid-floor support beams. Eachcross-member e again has a sheet-metal continuous corrugated web part 12of castell'ated or turreted form in longitudinal crosssection, similarto the web parts 2 of the pillar or column units a, and longitudinalchord members.14, 14, along upper and lower edges of the web part 12 areaccommodated in cutaway portions or notches formed in the intermediatetransverse wall portions of the webso as to fit between the side wallportions of the latter. In this case, it is preferred that the chordmembers 14, 14 should be composed of wood, as indicated, and these maybe secured to the web side faces by nails or the like. The use of woodchord members provides a useful versatility in enabling other parts ofthe building structureto be attached as readily as in the case of awooden framework.

The second storey is built up with further pillar or column corner unitsa .which are supported, as indicated, upon the adjacent ends of thelower horizontal cross-members such as e, e, in vertical alignment withthe correspond pillar or column units of the lower storey. At the top,the second storey pillar or column corner units support horizontalperimeter cross-members e, e", which are again similar to thecross-members e, e. The crossmember 2", however, is advantageously ofless depth than the cross-member e when it is intended, as shown in FIG-URE 1, to support wooden ceiling joists 7 which conveniently lie flushon their top surfaces with the top surface of the cross-member e.

In assembling the framework, each of the horizontal cross-members isconveniently afiixed to'the adjacent ends of the pillar or column unitsby bolts which pass through the chord members and through the apertures10'shownin the bearer plates 5.

For the roof, a conventional rafter roof construction may be used but asshown the rafters g are advantageously suporte-d by a particular form ofrafter support purlin h, which rests on the cross-members e.

As will be seen from the drawing, in the construction of the raftersupport purlin h, two sheet-metal web parts of cas-tellated form withgapped or notched intermediate transverse walls are arranged ofsuperimposed one above the other are connected by a common woodlongitudinal reinforcing chord member having a depth equal to double thedepth of the gaps or notches in the intermediate transverse walls. Inthis construction, clearly the web parts may be arranged either asshown, with the side wall faces and recesses of one being aligned withthe side wall faces and recesses of the other, or alternatively,

.they could :be arranged in an offset or staggered relationship with theside wall faces of the one above the recesses of the other. This latterarrangement may, in some cases, possibly give a better bracing effect.Also, more than two superimposed web parts can clearly be built up inthe same manner, if desired, to give larger composite structuralmembers.

The ends of the horizontal cross-members of the basic frameworkpreferably do not lap at the corners which facilitates the use of asmaller range of standard sizes and allows cantilever supports (for theroof structure, for example) readily to be incorporated if desired.

' Where intermediate walls are required to be incorporated in theframework, as in a semi-detached house for example, pillar or columnunits a or a", of T-section may be used, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5,these being builtup in the same manner as the L-section corner units a.In the case of the unit a" shown in FIGURE 5, however, the inner ohordmember 3' of the central limb is welded directly to the one-piece webpart forming the cross-head of the T.

Completed basic frameworks, in accordance with the invention, for asemi-detached two-storey house and for a single detached two-storeyhouse, respectively, are illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURES 2 and3, and it will be clear that the structures are such that the assembledframework elements together make up a series of complete rectanglesextending throughout the structure in both vertical and horizontalplanes.

Building frameworksfabricated as described can have a very high inherentstrength and rigidity and also, they are capable of being readilyerected very quickly so that the roof structure can be completed at anearly stage and highly eflicient methods of building construction can beemployed.

The invention may be applied, of course, not only to frameworks formulti-storey dwelling houses but also to other kinds of multi-storeybuildings.

Use of structural frame members of the particular kind disclosed givesparticular advantages in respect of the high strength to weight ratiooriginating from the web design which, in contrast for example to anon-corrugated or simple sinuous corrugated form giving only a limitedstiffening effect, may be described as-being box-braced. A furtheradvantage is the ease with which the structural members can be assembledand connected together, and the choice between materials such as sheetmetal, wood, or other non-metallic material, for the longitudinalreinforcing members greatly increases the versatility.

Also, it may be pointed out that the strength of individual structuralmembers can readily be altered by utilizing fore very conveniently bebased on the use of standard sizes'of structural members fabricated topossess the required strength.

Although sheet metal will often be a preferred material for at least theweb part, the use of other materials may be advantageous in some casesand it may be possible, for example, to utilise satisfactorily aplastics material.

Numerous modifications may, of course, be made within the scope of theappended claims. Particular mention may be made, however, of the factthat in the pillar or column units illustrated, in the accompanyingdrawings, the web parts terminate in corrugation steps which are ofsmaller size than the remaining corrugation steps (defined by thedistance between successive intermediate transverse walls), but toachieve maximum strength in some cases, it is preferred that all thecorrugation steps, including the terminal steps, should be of equal sizeso that the web parts have an integral number of equallydimensioned sideface portions extending from one end of the other.

I claim:

1. A 'multi-storey building framework composed of a plurality ofvertical pillar units and horizontal crossmembers assembled to form aseries of rectangles extending throughout the structure in both verticaland horizontal planes, a pillar unit at each corner defining the heightof each storey and the horizontal cross-members extending betweenadjacent pillar units and resting on the top thereof, said cross-membersof each lower storey supporting in turn the corner pillar units of thenext higher storey which are in vertical alignment with thecorresponding corner pillar units of said lower storey, each horizontalcross-member comprising a pair of spacedapart upper and lower wood chordmembers and an intermediate continuous corrugated web part having aturreted form in longitudinal cross-section defining longitudinal sideface portions and intermediate transverse wall portions, and said webpart having notches in upper and lower edges of the intermediatetransverse wall portions in which fit the upper and lower chord members.

2. A multi-storey building framework composed of a plurality of verticalpillar units and horizontal crossmembers assembled to form a series ofrectangles extending throughout the structure in both vertical andhorizontal planes, a pillar unit at each corner defining the height ofeach storey and the horizontal cross-members extending between adjacentpillar units in superimposed relationship, said cross-members of eachlower storey supporting in turn the corner pillar units of the nexthigher storey in vertical alignment with the corresponding corner pillarunits of said lower storey, each pillar unit comprising at least twointerconnected limbs extending in divergent vertical planes which areperpendicular to one another, each limb comprising a continuous web partand a pair of vertical spaced-apart chord members connected by said webpart which is of wandering form, comprising longitudinal side wallportions disposed alternately in two parallel spaced-apart verticalplanes and intermediate transverse wall portions which extend betweensaid side wall portions and also brace opposite facing surfaces of chordmembers.

3. A multi-storey building framework according to claim 2 whereinnotches are provided in the free edges of said intermediate transversewall portions of said Web parts of the pillar units, and the verticalchord members are engaged within said notches.

4. A multi-storey building framework according to claim 2 in which thevertical chord members of the pillar units comprise metalchannel-section elements secured to said web parts by welding.

5. A multi-storey building framework, according to claim 2 in which thecorrugation of the web part in each limb of the pillar units are equallyspaced, and the inter mediate transverse wall portions of said web partare perpendicular to the planes of the side wall portions, and thedistance between the two parallel planes containing the side wallportions is less than the distance between the spaced-apart verticalchord members and also is less than the length of each corrugation whichis defined by the distance between each pair of successive intermediatetransverse wall portions.

6. A multi-storey building framework according to claim 2, in which thepillar units further comprise horizontal bearer plates secured at upperand lower ends.

7. A multi-storey building framework according to claim 2, furthercomprising a plurality of concrete foun dation elements and fasteningmeans embedded in said foundation elements, which fastening means anchorthe lower ends of the pillar units of the lowermost storey.

8. A pillar unit for a multi-storey building framework, comprising apair. of interconnected limbs extending in divergentmutually-perpendicular vertical planes, each limb comprising acontinuous corrugated web with a castellated form in longitudinalcross-section defining side wall portions disposed alternately in twoparallel spacedapart vertical planes and intermediate transverse wallportions connecting said side wall portions, and a pair of verticalspaced-apart chord members connected by said web part.

9. A pillar unit according to claim 8, further comprising horizontalbearer plates secured at upper and lower ends and wherein the verticalchord members of each limb comprise metal channel-section elementssecured to said connecting web part.

10. A pillar unit according to claim 8 in which the vertical chordmembers of each limb are fitted within notches in the free edges of saidintermediate transverse wall portions of the connecting web part.

11. A pillar unit according to claim 8 in which the corrugations of theweb part of each limb are equally spaced, and the intermediatetransverse wall portions of said web part are perpendicular to theplanes of the side wall portions, and the distance between the twoparallel planes containing the side wall portions is less than thedistance between the spaced-apart vertical chord members and also isless than the length of each corrugation which is defined by thedistance between each pair of successive intermediate transverse wallportion S;

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANK L. ABBOTT,Primary Examiner.

R. S. VERMUT, Assistant Examiner.

3/1870 Holms 52734

1. A MULTI-STOREY BUILDING FRAMEWORK COMPOSED OF A PLURALITY OF VERTICALPILLAR UNITS AND HORIZONTAL CROSSMEMBERS ASSEMBLED TO FORM A SERIES OFRECTANGLES EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE STRUCTURE IN BOTH VERTICAL ANDHORIZONTAL PLANES, A PILLAR UNIT AT EACH CORNER DEFINING THE HEIGHT OFEACH STOREY AND THE HORIZONTAL CROSS-MEMBERS EXTENDING BETWEEN ADJACENTPILLAR UNITS AND RESTING ON THE TOP THEREOF, SAID CROSS-MEMBERS OF EACHLOWER STOREY SUPPORTING IN TURN THE CORNER PILLAR UNITS OF THE NEXTHIGHER STOREY WHICH ARE IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE CORRESPONDINGCORNER PILLAR UNITS OF SAID LOWER STOREY, EACH HORIZONTAL CROSS-MEMBERCOMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACEDAPART UPPER AND LOWER WOOD CHORD MEMBERS ANDAN INTERMEDIATE CONTINUOUS CORRUGATED WEB PART HAVING A TURRETED FORM INLONGITUDINAL CROSS-SECTION DEFINING LONGITUDINAL SIDE FACE PORTIONS ANDINTERMEDIATE TRANSVERSE WALL PORTIONS, AND SAID WEB PART HAVING NOTCHESIN UPPER AND LOWER EDGES OF THE INTERMEDIATE TRANSVERSE WALL PORTIONS INWHICH FIT THE UPPER AND LOWER CHORD MEMBERS.